Republicans Are Getting Hammered For Their Handling Of The Fiscal Cliff Talks

In another sign that Republicans could have a tough time winning a public-opinion battle over a deal to avert the fiscal cliff, a new Gallup poll released Tuesday displays staggeringly low approval ratings for Congressional Republicans on their handling of the negotiations thus far.

The poll finds that only 27 percent of respondents approve of how Republican leaders in Congress are handling negotiations on the fiscal cliff so far. An astounding 63 percent disapprove. By comparison, 52 percent approve of President Barack Obama's handling, while only 43 percent disapprove.

Here's a look at the disparity, which is especially great among Independents:

Gallup also found that 58 percent of Americans think it's at least somewhat likely that the two parties reach an agreement before the Jan. 1 deadline. Democrats (77 percent) are much more likely than Republicans (only 43 percent) to think that a deal will happen.